The 6-Step Time Management Framework

“I just don’t have enough time.”


It’s one of the most common and persistent challenges I hear from professionals, whether they’re trying to grow their careers, care for their families, or just carve out time for themselves.

There’s always more to do: urgent work tasks, long-term goals, endless meetings, family responsibilities, self-care routines. And even within work, many people tell me they’re working harder than ever just to survive in a high-pressure environment.

We talk a lot about time management, but at its core, it's about making hard decisions. Not about what’s important (well, everything feels important, right? 😉), but about what you’ll choose not to do.

Here are three keys:

1. Deprioritization

The uncomfortable truth is: you can’t do everything. And the more ambitious or responsible you are, the harder this truth hits. Deprioritizing doesn’t mean giving up or being careless. It means protecting the things that matter most. It’s a discipline of choosing wisely, not doing mindlessly. You’re not failing by saying no, you’re succeeding at focusing.

2. Efficiency

When you invest time in learning a skill, gaining experience, or mastering a tool, you set yourself up to complete tasks faster and with less effort. Mastery pays off over time, not just in speed, but in ease. The more fluent you become, the more time and energy you free up for what really matters.

3. Flow

When you’re in flow, time bends. You do more in less time, not by rushing, but by tapping into uninterrupted brainpower. Flow is when your mind holds the big picture and the small details at once, letting you think deeply and solve problems with clarity. 

But flow doesn’t just happen. The brain needs protected space to get there. That means minimizing distractions, guarding your attention, and treating deep work like the high-value resource it is. You don’t find flow by accident—you design for it.

A 6-Step Method to Manage Your Time and Focus Better

1. Consider the Task

Start small. Pick one task that’s on your mind, not a whole list. Often we carry around invisible mental weight by holding too many open loops. Naming just one task helps you shift from overwhelm to focus. If you’re not sure where to start, pick something that’s either blocking other progress or causing you low-grade stress by staying undone.


2. Evaluate the Task

Don't assume you have to do this task right now. Ask yourself:

• Is it really important? Sometimes others say it's important simply because they want it done. Go deeper. What’s at stake if it doesn't get done?
• What are you deprioritizing by choosing this task? Maybe it's time with your family, or your own self-care. Is this task worth that tradeoff?
• Can it actually be done now? There may be dependencies or blockers that mean you need to wait. If so, don't waste your energy on it until you can take meaningful action.
• Is there a better way? Can a tool help you do it faster? Would automating or delegating it lead to a better outcome with less effort?

This is the most important step. If you don't pause here, you might spend a lot of time and energy on something that doesn't really matter, while more important things quietly fall away.


3. Estimate the Time Needed

Estimate how long each task will take. 

If you think something will take 90 minutes, break it into multiple chunks of 30 minutes or less. The better you estimate, the more likely you are to finish what you committed to on time.

Once you have a realistic sense of how long tasks will take, you're ready to choose what you'll actually commit to for the day.

4. Pick Your Top 1-3 Tasks for the Day

Limit creates focus. When everything’s a priority, nothing is. Choose up to three tasks that move the needle, whether that’s progress toward a bigger goal or clearing up space for something more meaningful. Treat these tasks like meetings: block time for them, show up on time, and give them your full presence.


5. Execute with Full Focus

Focus is fragile. Guard it like your most valuable asset, because it is. Eliminate as many interruptions as possible before you start, and give your task your full and undivided attention.

• Let others know you’re in heads-down mode: block time on your calendar, set your Slack status, or put a "Do Not Disturb" sign on your door. 
• Put your phone out of sight and out of reach. Turn off all notifications and close any unrelated windows on your computer.

When it’s time for a break, take a real one. Don’t let yourself “just finish one more thing.” Step away immediately. Do something completely unrelated to the task. This reset helps you return sharper, clearer, and more creative.

6. Evaluate and Improve

Reflection turns action into learning. At the end of the day, take five minutes to look back: 

• Did you pick the right tasks? Were they as impactful as you expected? Were they worth the tradeoff of deprioritizing something else?
• How accurate was your time estimate? Did you have extra time left, or did you run out before finishing what you planned?
• Was your focus disrupted? If so, what pulled you away?

This isn’t about judgment. It’s about understanding what helps you stay on track and what habits or systems might need adjusting. Small insights here can lead to big improvements over time.

Final Thought

Prioritization isn’t a one-time decision, it’s a practice. When you evaluate tasks with clarity, create space for deep focus, and reflect on what works, you stop reacting to your day and start designing it. 

That’s how real progress happens, not by doing more, but by doing what matters with intention.